Less than $5 7th Grade Reading Literature Circles (by date, latest first)

3 Little Pigs with a twist- Part of my first story of my Bilingual Series

Tales with a twist is designed to give students a familiar feel, but with surprising elements throughout the story.

Print out the stories in either English, or Spanish or both!!!

It is not direct translation rather I focused in translating the stories in a way they feel right and are authentic.

More stories coming soon!

Character traits and analysis fun!

Have some outdoor fun (or use butcher paper for indoors) with sidewalk novel characters! Students choose a character from their novels then do body outlines with sidewalk chalk. Fill these with physical and character traits from quotes within the novel...full directions for implementing and making a competitive game. Can be used with all ages and novels. Excellent for comprehension and assessment.

I used this resource with one of my guided reading groups. After they completed a book they choose from the list of extra activities.

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I used this resource with one of my guided reading groups. They completed the packet as they read the story "Building A Dream: Mary Bethune's School" by Richard Kelso. If they finished they could choose from the extra activities. Answer key is included!

Lexile: N/A

Guided Reading Level: N/A

AR Level: 4.6

AR Quiz Number: 12508

Thanks for looking! Please rate and leave a comment.

Fostering avid readers means consistently presenting books to your class. I have witnessed, first-hand, the power of consistent Book Talks with my students. Book Talks have the power to foster continued love in avid readers and reach even the most struggling readers.
Check out my brand new series of no-prep Book Talk Guides for teachers--starting with this Freebie for Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds.

What's Included?

• Teacher Tips and Tricks for successful book talks, including suggested links for book trailers*

• Book Talk Guide, including genre, what kind of students might enjoy each book, and a plot summary

• At least one student book talk response activity

Follow my store and check back as new titles and themed Book Talk bundles will be added in the days and weeks to come!

Are you looking for a new way to keep your readers engaged?!

This Sketch Notes Reading Response activity works for any genre, covers multiple skills, and can be used whole class OR in stations, and has been a life-saver in my middle school classroom!

Product Features:

• Compatible with any genre
• Two formats for maximum student choice & engagement
• RLA Skills Covered: text evidence, making connections, inferencing, symbolism, theme

Suggested Uses:

• During Class Read-Alouds (class novels or First Chapter Fridays)
• Independent Reading Activity
• Literature Circles
• Reading Station Activity

Fostering avid readers means consistently presenting books to your class. I have witnessed, first-hand, the power of consistent Book Talks with my students. Book Talks have the power to foster continued love in avid readers and reach even the most struggling readers.
Check out my no-prep Book Talk Guides for teachers. And because I am so passionate about the power of Book Talks, my Book Talk Guides will ALWAYS BE FREE!

What's Included?

• Teacher Tips for successful book talks

• Book Talk Guide, including genre, what kind of students might enjoy each book, and a plot summary

• Two student book talk response activities

Follow my store and check back as new titles and themed Book Talk bundles will be added!

This mix-and-match reading log is designed to empower students to become mindful and engaged readers. It offers a variety of engaging components that can be used as stand-alone pages or combined in a mix and match fashion to create personalized reading journals.

Google Drive Folder includes a PDF and a digital Google Slides version.

Here's what you get in:

• "Books to Read" List: Spark excitement with a dedicated space for students to track books they're eager to dive into.

• "Book Hall of Fame": Celebrate literary discoveries with a page to record and cherish favorite books.

• "Favorite Authors": Encourage a love for specific authors by providing a space for students to keep a log of their favorite authors.

• "Reading Reflections": Deepen comprehension with a dedicated space for students to rate and review each book they finish.

• "Recommendations": Foster a sense of community by allowing students to share their thoughts and recommend books to peers. These can be kept private or can be shared with the class to grow a class of readers!

• Reading Trackers: Choose between two engaging options:

• Monthly Tracking Sheets: Students color in pictures of books as they complete them, creating a visual record of their reading journey.

• Grid-Style Tracker: This flexible tracker allows for color-coding genres and marking each finished book, offering a long-term overview of reading progress.

Benefits:

• Supports mindful reading: Encourages students to reflect on their reading experiences and develop a deeper appreciation for literature.
• Promotes accountability: Helps students stay on track with their personal reading goals.
• Print or Digital format: Adaptable to individual preferences and classroom needs.
• Interactive and engaging: Makes reading a fun and rewarding experience for students.

This reading log is the perfect tool for teachers and parents to cultivate a lifelong love of reading in young minds!

These book discussion task cards are an easy, low-prep way to engage students in any fiction text (novel, short story, picture book, etc.) they may read while supporting critical listening and speaking skills.

With a wide variety of questions, this set of 32 discussion cards covers many reading comprehension skills including:

• Inferencing & Text Evidence
• Making Connections
• Plot Elements
• Theme
• Tone/Mood
• Author's Purpose
• and many more!

What You Get:

32 task cards that can be printed two ways:

1. single-sided (Question side only)
2. double-sided (With a fun, patterned front cover)

Sometimes the best classroom discussions arise when students say nothing at all!

This product features a thoughtful and engaging activity for use during the study of Harper Lee's ever-enduring tale, To Kill a Mockingbird. Centering around 5 different provocative passages from the book, this lesson provides your students with a chance to think, reflect, and respond to their peers without ever saying a word. This creative approach is a great way to differentiate instruction among your students and allows even your most quiet students to shine. I am confident that this no-prep lesson will become a must-do activity within your unit on To Kill a Mockingbird.

Product Includes:

- 5 "Silent Conversation" worksheets with 5 different quotes from the novel

- Full lesson plan

_________________________________________________________________________

Also, check out these great resources to complement your unit on To Kill a Mockingbird by Language Arts Excellence:

To Kill a Mockingbird Anticipation Guide &

Lesson Plan

___________________________________________________________________________

Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence

Sometimes the best classroom discussions arise when students say nothing at all!

This product features a thoughtful and engaging activity for use during the study of Harper Lee's ever-enduring tale, To Kill a Mockingbird. Centering around 5 different provocative passages from the book, this lesson provides your students with a chance to think, reflect, and respond to their peers without ever saying a word. This creative approach is a great way to differentiate instruction among your students and allows even your most quiet students to shine. I am confident that this no-prep lesson will become a must-do activity within your unit on To Kill a Mockingbird.

Product Includes:

- 5 "Silent Conversation" worksheets with 5 different quotes from the novel

- Full lesson plan

_________________________________________________________________________

Also, check out these great resources to complement your unit on To Kill a Mockingbird by Language Arts Excellence:

To Kill a Mockingbird Anticipation Guide &

Lesson Plan

___________________________________________________________________________

Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence

This set of 32 unique task cards contain engaging thought-provoking questions meant to prompt lively discussion for literature circles or books clubs in your middle or high school ELA classroom. Questions are mainly reader-response and are fully aligned to the Common Core. They can be used at any point during the reading of a novel or short story and are great as both full-class lesson plans or for time-fillers at the end of class. I also like to use these cards as bell-ringer activities to check in on my students' thoughts and understanding of the novel as we go. These are the perfect task cards to add to your teacher's toolbox and use all year long! __________________________________________________________________________ Also, check out these great resources that can be adapted for any novel by Language Arts Excellence: Differentiated Essay Prompt Task Cards Novel Soundtrack Assignment Socratic Seminar Lesson Plan and Materials Adaptable for ANY Topic Differentiated End of Term Reflection Activities Book Recommendation Form Differentiated Essay Prompts for use with ANY Novel Active Reading Strategy Task Cards

Socratic Seminars (or "Fish Bowl" Conversations as I like to call them with my students) are fantastic, higher order ways of assessing whether your students are able to understand and react to your class text. These seminars rely on the power of inquiry and allow students to take the lead in their learning and discussion. The only problem? They require a great deal of preparation. Fortunately, I did the work for you! This packet includes everything you need to conduct a formal and structured set of Socratic Seminars in your classroom surrounding the novel, The Contender by Robert Lipsyte - NO PREPARATION NEEDED • Assignment Directions with step-by-step instructions on how to conduct fishbowls in your classroom • 5 Discussion Questions for each “Fish Bowl” • “Fish Bowl” Preparation Sheet • Conversation Builder Prompts • Observation Sheet • Rubric

Perfect for literature circles or book clubs! This product contains 36 unique task cards with thought-provoking questions for novel study arranged by 6 active reading strategies (Predict, Connect, Visualize, Question, Evaluate, Clarify). The uses for these cards are endless but I suggest laminating the cards and using them during literature circles or book clubs! _________________________________________________________________________ Also, check out more great active reading strategy resources by Language Arts Excellence: Active Reading Strategy Signs for the Classroom Active Reading Strategy Book Marks Save 25% by purchasing the Active Reading Strategy Bundle by Language Arts Excellence! Active Reading Strategy Bundle

NOW WITH NEWLY ADDED MATERIALS!!

Socratic Seminars (or "Fish Bowl" Conversations as I like to call them with my students) are fantastic, higher order ways of assessing whether your students are able to understand and react to your class text. These seminars rely on the power of inquiry and allow students to take the lead in their learning and discussion. The only problem? They require a great deal of preparation. Fortunately, this student-tested resource includes everything you need to conduct a structured and formal set of Socratic Seminars in your classroom surrounding Walter Dean Myers' acclaimed novel, Monster... and no preparation is required by you at all!

Product Includes:

• Assignment Directions with step-by-step instructions on how to conduct fishbowls in your classroom

• Fun Introductory Lesson Plan on Academic Conversations - NEWLY ADDED!

• 5 Discussion Questions for each “Fish Bowl”

• “Fish Bowl” Preparation Sheet

• Conversation Builder Prompts

• Observation Sheet

• Rubric

__________________________________________________________________________________

Save over 20% on this resource when you purchase as part of a growing bundle of all Monster products by Language Arts Excellence:

⭐ Monster (Myers) Activity BUNDLE

__________________________________________________________________________________

Also, check out these great resources to complement your unit on Monster:

⭐ Monster (Myers) Anticipation Guide & Lesson Plan

⭐ Monster (Myers) Literature Guide

⭐ Monster (Myers) Quizzes for Entire Novel

⭐ Monster (Myers) Social Media Materials

⭐ Monster (Myers) ESCAPE ROOM

⭐ Monster (Myers) vs. Murder on a Sunday Morning Compare Contrast Project

⭐ Monster (Myers) Breaking News Article Assignment

⭐ Monster (Myers) Literature Guide and Quizzes BUNDLE

__________________________________________________________________________________

⭐Click to Follow Language Arts Excellence⭐

Are you looking for an interactive, student-led activity/ assessment for the end of Carol Matas's Daniel's Story?

This file contains 2 different packets of Socratic Circle questions- packet A and packet B. Each packet contains 3 different questions that require students to answer and provide two quotes from the text to back up their answers. Students are also required to come up with 3 additional questions they will ask if there's time in their circle. Finally, the packet has a page where each student will monitor a partner in the opposite circle. They will make a check each time their partner speaks, and paraphrase a meaningful comment their partner made. Lastly, the file contains the socratic circle rubric.

When you print out the file, you'll see packet A on the top half of the sheet, packet B on the bottom half, and then the rubric as the last page of the file. You'll need to cut each packet page in half after you print them out, as each booklet you give to the students is only half a page. They are labeled A and B. Give half your class A, half B, and allow them to plan! The day of the circle, you'll let A discuss for maybe 20-30 minutes, then flip-flop your circles and have B discuss.

My students really enjoy Socratic Seminars! I have found it works better when you give each group three different questions, so you don't see the same discussion 2 times, which is how this packet is set up. I used the Socratic Circle as their "final test grade" for Daniel's Story. The students need to have finished the story to answer the questions included in the packet.

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This story is also available as part of an eight story ebook, "Young Voices: Eight Short Stories of Courage & Resilience."

"Echoes of Hope: The Children of Sarajevo" is an inspiring story of resilience and creativity amidst the devastating siege of Sarajevo. A group of children, led by Luka, Maja, Amir, and Zlata, transform a war-ravaged hideout into "The Nook," a sanctuary of learning, art, and music. They preserve the city’s spirit through storytelling, makeshift classes, and concerts, becoming a symbol of hope. Post-siege, "The Nook" evolves into a community center, its mural a poignant reminder of courage. The children, now adults, impart lessons of unity and creativity to future generations, showcasing the enduring power of the human spirit.

There are thought provoking questions (and suggested answers) at the end of the story.

General Learning Objectives for Deep by Design stories:

Understanding Conflict: The material offers insights into the dynamics of territorial conflicts and their ramifications for those caught in the crossfire.

Effects of War or Conflict on Youth: The content underlines the deep-seated impact of hostilities on the mental and physical health of children and adolescents.

Resilience and Hope: Through character experiences, the narrative highlights the human capacity for endurance and the quest for collective healing amidst adversity.

Cultural Insight: The text provides a window into the complexities of a region's culture and the intense obstacles its inhabitants endure.

Human Rights: The narrative serves as a primer for dialogues concerning the safeguarding of civilians and the enforcement of human rights in times of strife.

Peacebuilding: The book promotes an investigation into the adoption of nonviolent strategies for mitigating disputes and fostering reconciliation at the community level.

This story is also available as part of an eight story ebook, "Young Voices: Eight Short Stories of Courage & Resilience."

Aisha, a 13-year-old girl living in Gaza city, chronicles her experiences through a diary during a period of intense conflict between Israeli forces and Hamas militants in Gaza. As bombings, power outages, water shortages, and infrastructure damage disrupt daily life, Aisha describes her fears for her family's safety and her disrupted education. She finds resilience through community support and small acts of normalcy like playing games with friends. Temporary ceasefires provide glimpses of peace amid the violence. But tensions frequently boil over into clashes and protests at the border, unleashing new rounds of bombardment. Aisha conveys the mental and physical toll of living through endless cycles of war and deprivation in Gaza. Yet she retains hope for justice and freedom in the future, fueled by the strength of her community. Throughout her diary, Aisha gives an intimate account of what it's like to come of age in Gaza against a backdrop of conflict and hardship.

There are thought provoking questions (and possible answers) at the end of the story.

General Learning Objectives for Deep by Design stories:

Understanding Conflict: The material offers insights into the dynamics of territorial conflicts and their ramifications for those caught in the crossfire.

Effects of War or Conflict on Youth: The content underlines the deep-seated impact of hostilities on the mental and physical health of children and adolescents.

Resilience and Hope: Through character experiences, the narrative highlights the human capacity for endurance and the quest for collective healing amidst adversity.

Cultural Insight: The text provides a window into the complexities of a region's culture and the intense obstacles its inhabitants endure.

Human Rights: The narrative serves as a primer for dialogues concerning the safeguarding of civilians and the enforcement of human rights in times of strife.

Peacebuilding: The book promotes an investigation into the adoption of nonviolent strategies for mitigating disputes and fostering reconciliation at the community level.

This story is also available as part of an eight story ebook, "Young Voices: Eight Short Stories of Courage & Resilience."

Embark on a poignant journey with "Rising Tides, Resilient Hearts," a heart-rending tale of resilience in the face of nature's relentless force. This narrative follows Ana and Lani, two young girls from the imperiled island of Kiribati, as they grapple with the reality of their sinking homeland. With the rising tides threatening to erase their ancestral roots, the community faces a heart-wrenching decision. Through the bonds of friendship and the echoes of ancestral wisdom, our young heroines navigate the emotional tides of leaving their beloved island. This story not only reflects the global issue of climate change but also illuminates the enduring spirit of a culture on the brink of displacement. Witness how love, memory, and the power of storytelling become the vessel for preserving a disappearing world, inspiring young readers to understand and embrace the challenges of change.

There are thought provoking questions (and possible answers) at the end of the story.

General Learning Objectives for Deep by Design stories:

Understanding Conflict: The material offers insights into the dynamics of territorial conflicts and their ramifications for those caught in the crossfire.

Effects of War or Conflict on Youth: The content underlines the deep-seated impact of hostilities on the mental and physical health of children and adolescents.

Resilience and Hope: Through character experiences, the narrative highlights the human capacity for endurance and the quest for collective healing amidst adversity.

Cultural Insight: The text provides a window into the complexities of a region's culture and the intense obstacles its inhabitants endure.

Human Rights: The narrative serves as a primer for dialogues concerning the safeguarding of civilians and the enforcement of human rights in times of strife.

Peacebuilding: The book promotes an investigation into the adoption of nonviolent strategies for mitigating disputes and fostering reconciliation at the community level.

This story is also available as part of an eight story ebook, "Young Voices: Eight Short Stories of Courage & Resilience."

In the wake of the 9/11 tragedy, two seventh graders, Alex and Sarah, display remarkable resilience by choosing to help at their local community center instead of attending school. Through this experience, they learn valuable lessons about community, empathy, and the human capacity to overcome adversity. Alex finds solace in drawing, capturing the emotions around him, while Sarah uses storytelling to comfort younger children. Their actions not only aid in their personal coping but also bring hope to those around them. This story is a poignant exploration of young people finding strength and unity in the face of unspeakable tragedy.

There are thought provoking questions (and suggested answers) at the end of the story.

General Learning Objectives for Deep by Design stories:

Understanding Conflict: The material offers insights into the dynamics of territorial conflicts and their ramifications for those caught in the crossfire.

Effects of War or Conflict on Youth: The content underlines the deep-seated impact of hostilities on the mental and physical health of children and adolescents.

Resilience and Hope: Through character experiences, the narrative highlights the human capacity for endurance and the quest for collective healing amidst adversity.

Cultural Insight: The text provides a window into the complexities of a region's culture and the intense obstacles its inhabitants endure.

Human Rights: The narrative serves as a primer for dialogues concerning the safeguarding of civilians and the enforcement of human rights in times of strife.

Peacebuilding: The book promotes an investigation into the adoption of nonviolent strategies for mitigating disputes and fostering reconciliation at the community level.